Tennis News

Alcaraz Earns Revenge Against Murray In Vienna

After beating Andy Murray on Wednesday evening in Vienna, Carlos Alcaraz put both arms in the air and nodded his head in approval of his performance. The 18-year-old had earned his revenge.

The #NextGenATP star, who lost to the former World No. 1 in Indian Wells earlier this month, defeated Murray 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the Erste Bank Open. The scoreline appears straightforward, but the action was anything but.

Alcaraz needed to summon all his skill and fighting spirit to claw past the Scot in a two-hour, six-minute battle that featured 25 break points and seven service breaks. The Spaniard will next face third seed Matteo Berrettini.

“For me it’s a great feeing to play against Andy Murray and to be able to beat him,” Alcaraz said in his post-match interview. “I played really, really well and I’m just really happy for the performance today.”

It was clear from the first game of the match that Murray would be under pressure, as his teenage opponent broke his serve immediately. Alcaraz was intent on punishing the ball and controlling rallies, especially on points played behind the wild card’s second serve.

Murray fought hard and led 4-2 in the second set, using every opportunity he had to attack short balls, move forward and beat this year’s Umag titlist to go on offense. But Alcaraz had too much firepower on the day, as evidenced by the penultimate point of the match, when he finished a physical rally with a booming crosscourt forehand winner.

Alcaraz, a pupil of another former World No. 1, Juan Carlos Ferrero, certainly did not take Murray by surprise. When ATPTour.com asked the Scot in August about current players who could potentially reach No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Murray mentioned him.

“I think Alcaraz is really, really good,” Murray said at the time. “I think he’s got a good chance at it.” 

The 46-time tour-level titlist was able to battle past Alcaraz in three sets in Indian Wells in their first ATP Head2Head clash. But indoors in Vienna, the #NextGenATP star showed he is getting better by the day.

“Indian Wells was the first time that I met Andy Murray on court and now I knew a little bit more [about] Andy Murray, so I just knew his game, how to play,” Alcaraz said. “I was just trying to play aggressive, not let him play his game.”

Alcaraz’s next opponent, third-seeded Berrettini, rallied past Indian Wells finalist Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3. The Italian, who became the sixth player to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals on Monday, saved all three break points he faced to advance.

The 25-year-old blasted 22 aces — including two on the last two points of the match — to earn his two-hour, five-minute victory. Berrettini will try to replicate that serving performance in his first ATP Head2Head meeting with Alcaraz.

Did You Know?
Alcaraz is the second-youngest player to defeat Murray. Borna Coric, who was 18 when he beat the Scot in Dubai in 2015, was the only player to do it at a younger age.

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Sinner Sharp Against Opelka In Vienna

Jannik Sinner was focussed on avoiding a letdown following his Antwerp victory last week. The Italian star does not need to be concerned after his performance on Wednesday in Vienna.

The seventh seed dispatched big-serving American Reilly Opelka 6-4, 6-2 in 64 minutes to reach the second round of the Erste Bank Open. The 20-year-old will next play home favourite Dennis Novak, who beat Italian Gianluca Mager on Tuesday in straight sets.

“I think I had not so many chances and I used them. I think that was the key today,” Sinner said in his post-match interview. “I served well. My service holds were always quite fast and good. I felt well on the baseline, so I knew when I went in a rally that somehow I was going to win the point. But it’s never easy playing against him. You never have rhythm.”

Every win is critical for Sinner in his pursuit of a spot in the Nitto ATP Finals. He began the week in 10th place in the FedEx ATP Race To Turin, just 110 points behind ninth-placed Hubert Hurkacz for the final qualifying spot (eighth-placed Nadal is out for the year due to foot injury).

Since Hurkacz lost in the first round in Vienna, Sinner has an opening to make a big move at the ATP 500 in Austria. The Italian will pass the Pole if he advances to the semi-finals.

The five-time ATP Tour titlist dominated on serve against Opelka, losing just six service points. His American opponent has one of the biggest serves on the ATP Tour, but Sinner broke him three times.

At 2-2 in the second set, when Opelka was still battling to maintain contact, Sinner unleashed a series of forehand returns, and played stellar defence to break. He did not lose a game in the rest of the match.

“I had time to adapt to the court and I used it,” Sinner said. “I think it was a great match today.”

Did You Know?
Sinner has won nine consecutive indoor matches — including titles in Sofia and Antwerp — and not lost a set in any of them. 

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Shapovalov Battles Back In St. Petersburg Opener

Is this the year that Denis Shapovalov will break through at the St. Petersburg Open?

The Canadian, who made the quarter-finals and semi-finals in his first two appearances at the event, got off to a slow start on Wednesday. But the lefty recovered to defeat Spaniard Pablo Andujar 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 for a spot in the last eight.

“Definitely very tough to play Pablo [in my] first round of a tournament. He’s a great player and it was a tough start to the match,” Shapovalov said in his on-court interview. “I didn’t feel so great, but I just told myself to keep going.

“Obviously there was a lot of tennis to play, so [I] wanted to really turn it around in the second set and I did a really good job.”

In the deciding set, the second seed won 72 per cent of his return points to finish well and triumph after one hour and 49 minutes.

Shapovalov will face a big-hitting righty in the last eight: seventh seed Alexander Bublik or German Jan-Lennard Struff. The Canadian is chasing his second ATP Tour title and his first since his maiden triumph in Stockholm in 2019.

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Australian Open 2022: Unvaccinated players face fresh doubts about eligibility to play

Doubts have been raised whether unvaccinated players will be allowed to take part in the Australian Open after contradictory statements from key politicians.

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Murray & Soares Continue Turin Push In St. Petersburg

Scot Jamie Murray and Brazilian Bruno Soares continued their charge for a fourth appearance together in the Nitto ATP Finals on Tuesday when they beat Israeli Jonathan Erlich and Belarusian Andrei Vasilevski 6-1, 6-4 to reach the second round of the St. Petersburg Open.

The top seeds began the week in eighth place in the FedEx ATP Doubles Race To Turin, 280 points ahead of ninth-placed Simone Bolelli of Italy and Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina. Murray and Soares competed in the year-end championships as a team in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

They were sharp in Russia against their wild-card opponents, as they saved all five break points they faced to triumph in 57 minutes.

Also in St. Petersburg, Russian singles stars Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev beat countrymen Daniil Golubev and Evgenii Tiurnev 6-1, 6-1 and fourth seeds Andrey Golubev and Hugo Nys ousted Kazakhstani Alexander Bublik and Belarusian Ilya Ivashka 6-3, 6-1.

Cabal & Farah Win In Vienna To Clinch Nitto ATP Finals Spot
Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals after they defeated Dutchmen Wesley Koolhof and Jean-Julien Rojer 4-6, 6-3, 10-8 on Tuesday at the Erste Bank Open. Cabal and Farah will compete in the season finale for the third time in four years.

In the only other doubles match of the day, Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and two-time Roland Garros doubles champion Andreas Mies eliminated Britons Daniel Evans and Neal Skupski 6-4, 6-3.

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Cabal/Farah Become Sixth Team To Qualify For Nitto ATP Finals

Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah will compete at the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held this year at the Pala Alpitour in Turin from 14-21 November, for the third time in four seasons.

The Colombians are the sixth team to qualify for the eight-team field, clinching their berth with a first-round victory over Dutchmen Wesley Koolhof and Jean-Julien Rojer on Tuesday at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna.

Read the full story at NittoATPFinals.com

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Transylvania Open: Emma Raducanu fights back for first win since US Open

Emma Raducanu fought back at the Transylvania Open to win her first game since becoming the US Open champion.

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Zverev Passes Krajinovic Test In Vienna

Alexander Zverev has been playing some of the best tennis in the world in recent months, and his confidence showed on Tuesday at the Erste Bank Open.

Despite falling behind a break in the second set, the German defeated Serbian Filip Krajinovic 6-2, 7-5 to reach the second round in Vienna. The 24-year-old is now one win from securing his 300th tour-level victory (299-138).

“He was playing well as well, so I knew that I [was] going to get a chance,” Zverev said in his post-match interview. “I just needed to start playing a little bit better and that’s what I did. I’m happy to be through in two sets.”

Zverev has won 21 of his past 23 matches dating back to the start of the Tokyo Olympics. The second seed will attempt to extend his hot streak when he faces Australian Alex de Minaur, who ousted Kevin Anderson 6-3, 7-6(3) on Monday.

Krajinovic is a dangerous foe, who on his day is capable of competing against anyone on the ATP Tour. The 29-year-old, currently No. 40 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, put his skills on display to take a 5-2 lead in the second set against Zverev.

But the Serbian made four errors to break himself at 5-3, and that was the only opening Zverev needed. The Monaco resident played more consistently than his opponent. He broke Krajinovic’s serve for the fourth time at 5-5 when the unseeded player missed a backhand into the net, and then served out the match to love. Zverev completed his victory with his 12th ace.

The 2018 Nitto ATP Finals champion, who has already qualified for the season finale in Turin from 14-21 November, has won four titles this year. He added two ATP Masters 1000 trophies to his collection in Madrid and Cincinnati, triumphed in Acapulco and earned the singles gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

The World No. 4 owns a 4-1 ATP Head2Head lead against De Minaur. However, the Australian won their most recent clash at last year’s ATP Cup.

In other action, Austrian wild card Dennis Novak earned a big win at home when he eliminated Italian Gianluca Mager 7-6(4), 7-6(4) in one hour and 41 minutes. Novak will next try to upset seventh seed Jannik Sinner or big-serving American Reilly Opelka.

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Tsitsipas Saves 3 Set Points, Takes Revenge Against Dimitrov In Vienna

One year after losing to Grigor Dimitrov at the Erste Bank Open, Stefanos Tsitsipas took his revenge in Vienna.

In a tight battle with the narrowest of margins, the Greek star defeated Dimitrov 7-6(6), 6-4 to reach the second round at the ATP 500. The top seed saved three set points in the first set of his one-hour, 42-minute victory.

Dimitrov, who earlier this month advanced to the semi-finals in Indian Wells, maintained his good form indoors in Austria and played attacking tennis against Tsitsipas to give himself a 6/3 edge in the first-set tie-break. The 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion carved a surprise drop shot and had a good look at a backhand passing shot on his first set point, but the Greek was solid at the net to get out of trouble.

After Dimitrov missed a tough forehand passing shot wide at 6/4, he had his best opportunity to take the opener when his 23-year-old opponent dropped a return short at 6/5. The Bulgarian blasted a forehand just wide, and Tsitsipas took full advantage to take the set on his first chance.

To his credit, Dimitrov shook off the disappointment to play a good second set behind strong serving. He even held a break point at 4-4, but Tsitsipas dismissed it with an overhead before breaking in the next game with a forehand winner to clinch the match.

Tsitsipas has won two titles this season, including his first ATP Masters 1000 at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. The World No. 3, who is making his second appearance in Vienna, will continue his pursuit of a maiden trophy at the ATP 500 against American Frances Tiafoe or Serbian Dusan Lajovic.

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Botic Sets Korda Clash In St. Petersburg

Botic van de Zandschulp’s ascent is showing no signs of slowing down.

The US Open quarter-finalist reached the second round of the St. Petersburg Open on Tuesday with a 6-2, 6-2 victory against Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka. The Dutch qualifier will next play #NextGenATP American Sebastian Korda in an intriguing showdown for a place in the quarter-finals.

Van de Zandschulp has won 14 of his past 17 matches at all levels, and will try to reach his third tour-level quarter-final when he faces Korda for the first time. The 26-year-old broke Nishioka’s serve on five occasions and won 54 per cent of his return points to triumph after one hour and 15 minutes.

Winston-Salem champion Ilya Ivashka also moved on with a 6-3, 6-2 win against Serbian Laslo Djere. The Belarusian will try to upset top seed Andrey Rublev in the next round.

Second seed Denis Shapovalov learned his opening opponent when Spaniard Pablo Andujar eliminated Argentine Federico Delbonis 6-2, 7-6(1). The Canadian was victorious in their only previous ATP Head2Head clash at the 2019 Australian Open.

American Tommy Paul made a good start in St. Petersburg when he ousted Spaniard Pedro Martinez 6-3, 6-2. The 24-year-old, who will next play countryman Taylor Fritz or Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori, is chasing his first ATP Tour title this week.

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